Courage, Dear Heart
by flutiful17
Summary: Peter and Sophie are getting ready for their wedding when a band of dwarves show up at Cair with news of a strange underworld they discovered. The wedding plans are soon put on hold when the underworld proves to be more dangerous than anyone could have realized, and Sophie is brought face-to-face with the reason why she was brought to Narnia with the Pevensies.


**_This is the third multi-chapter fic in a series. If you haven't read the previous two installments, And Then There Were Five & When The Time Is Right, I would highly recommend doing so; else you will be quite lost._**

_**I hope you enjoy this! **_

* * *

Chapter 1: A Strange New World

"Now, if we negotiate with the Terebinthians on this point, I think that we can - Peter? Are you even paying attention?"

Peter's gaze was fixated on me, though he should have been reading the document in front of us on his desk. "You're beautiful in the sunlight."

"As opposed to any other time?" I raised my eyebrows. "Anyway. We really need to get these trade agreements done before our wedding. I don't want to spend our honeymoon thinking about trade agreements."

Peter laughed. "That's the last thing we want. Let's get to it, then."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. Peter and I had been engaged for nearly six months now. Typical Narnian marriage protocol called for an engagement of at least six months before the wedding, and Peter and I had thought since the rest of our courtship had been quite unconventional, we ought to appease any worried Narnian nobility that their High King was rushing into a marriage.

Well, at least, that had been my idea. Peter's initial idea was for us to elope, but I'd managed to get him on board with adhering to conventions - at least, this time, anyway.

There was a knock on the door and I sighed in frustration. "Come in," Peter called out.

"I just thought I'd let you know that there's a band of dwarves making a rather large fuss in the Great Hall," Edmund said. "I did my best to help them, but they want to speak to you, Peter."

"Fantastic," I said. "I'm going to spend my honeymoon worrying about the trade agreements with Terebinthia. Very well, Peter. You'd better tend to the dwarves."

"It's likely some dispute about mining territory," Peter said. "I'm sure it won't take too long."

* * *

As it turned out, the dwarves were _not_ there to settle a dispute about mining territory. It took us quite awhile to get them settled down and to stop talking over each other. "My lord, majesty, High King Peter," said an ancient-looking dwarf in a wheelchair who was apparently the leader. "We bring some news that may perhaps bring concern to you."

_Odd, _I thought. _Dwarves don't usually speak so formally. _

"Rordin here," the dwarf said, pointing to the the dwarf to the left of him, "discovered the entryway to a strange underground land while mining near the Great River."

"Strange doesn't begin to cover it," Rordin interrupted. "It was otherworldly. I've never seen anything like it. And I'll tell you what, I didn't like it. Made me uneasy."

Peter furrowed his brow. "Can you tell me more about the land, Rordin?"

"'Course I can," Rordin said. "There was a lake that looked like a mirror and stretched on and on. There's no wind underground to stir up any waves. And there was a drone if you listened carefully. Real unsettling. It almost sounded like a thousand people were humming so softly you could hardly hear it. And there were plants and small creatures I've never seen in all my life before. And the strangest part of all of it was everything glowed green, ever so slightly."

Peter and I looked at each other. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Peter said. "I will discuss this immediately with the other monarchs and Lady Sophie. Might I secure your permission to potentially investigate the mine in the near future?"

"Indeed," the ancient dwarf said before any of the other dwarves could respond. "Please, do as you must. If this underground land is a potential threat to the safety on Narnia, we do not want to hinder you in ensuring our safety."

"Thank you," Peter said, nodding respectfully to the ancient dwarf. "And your name - ?"

"Wentley, majesty," the ancient dwarf said.

"Thank you, Wentley," Peter said. "Your vigilance - all of yours - is appreciated greatly. If anything more should be discovered before we do anything, please let us know immediately." He then turned to me. "Sophie, please find Susan and Lucy. We shall meet in my study."

* * *

"I don't like the sound of this underground land," Edmund said, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace in Peter's study.

"It sounds like there is some kind of magic going on down there," Lucy said. "It's rather worrisome, don't you think?"

"Well, we haven't gotten any threats from it yet," Susan said thoughtfully. "Whoever inhabits the land may not be dangerous."

"Or they could be biding their time," Edmund countered.

"Sophie, what do you think?" Susan asked, turning to me.

"I think it would be wise to send an explorative party there," I said. "Only to do a little investigating, though, that is all."

"I'll go," Edmund volunteered.

"Wait," I said, holding up my hand. "I didn't get to finish speaking. I don't think that it would be wise for any of us to go, particularly since the details Rordin gave us sound as though there may be some kind of magic involved."

This whole time, Peter had been listening thoughtfully. "Who would you suggest we send?" he asked, breaking his silence.

"Peridan has some experience in dealing with magic," I said. "I would also recommend sending the dwarf Katya, given her experience in the mines, the dryad Aurelia, and the satyr Juris." Aurelia was the chief horticulturist at Cair, and Juris was a skilled diplomat as well as an excellent fighter.

"You're going to send my best assistant?" Edmund protested.

"He's the next best thing we've got to send, because you aren't going," I replied evenly. For a moment, Edmund looked as though he were going to protest, but he didn't say anything further.

"That's a strong party," Peter said, nodding thoughtfully. "Right then. If we are all in agreement, I say we go with Sophie's idea."

Lucy shrugged, Susan nodded, and Edmund opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again. "I've got an uneasy feeling about this underground world in general," he said at last. "What if they don't return?"

"It's a half a day's ride to the mines, and there's a sentry post near the falls," Peter said. "I'll have them report to the post when they arrive, and if they don't report to the post by the next evening, I'll have the post send word here."

"And then what?" I looked at Edmund as he spoke. His face wore a worried expression I'd never seen before.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Peter said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm sure they'll be quite all right."

* * *

**_But really, will they be all right? _**

**_Anyway, I've thought long and hard about whether or not to write a sequel to When the Time is Right (I suppose that would make it a trilogy in total?). I don't have a whole lot of time to devote to writing this. I'm getting ready for my graduate school auditions (yay for more debt and another degree), I'm going into my last year of undergrad, and I have an original fantasy trilogy that I'm working hard on. However, I happen to have a wonderful job at my campus's library that allows me to get my homework done as well as a lot of writing, and I don't have too many classes this year, so I've decided that I will attempt to write another fanfic continuing the Pevensies' reign in Narnia. Besides, I didn't give you all the pleasure of seeing Sophie and Peter get married. Or what on earth Sophie's real purpose is for being in Narnia. So, if you will be patient with me, I will finish out their time in Narnia, at the very least. _**

**_When I began this storyline back in 2015, I had plans to write through all the books, except for the Magician's Nephew. I still would like to do that. I don't know if that will happen, but I really enjoy writing Jill and Eustace, as can be seen from the one-shots I have posted. I also would like to do a fanfic about Cor, Corin, and Aravis. I love those characters dearly, and my last fanfic wasn't able to give them enough growth or plot or anything (especially Cor and Aravis). However, I'm not sure if any of that will happen. We shall see how this goes._**

**_Please review! Thank you! :)_**

**_~the authoress_**


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